Ferdinand Marcos and a Hero's Burial

We knew sooner or later this question would no longer be purely hypothetical once it became clear that Rodrigo Duterte was going to be the president. Throughout his campaign, he maintained a close connection with the late dictator's son to the point that his running mate, Allan Peter Cayetano, was constantly hounded by questions on whether he was really pulling for the younger Marcos in the VP race. It seems that all systems are a go for the burial. Duterte understands that rallies are gonna be organized and he doesn't seem to have problems with people on the streets for a whole month. But as of now, Duterte is not budging on the issue.

But what is the real issue here? Is it how people choose not to speaking ill of the dead (link)? Is it how a president who doesn't put human rights as a priority is willing to grant an alleged human rights violator a hero's burial? Is it how our education system has failed to define an era as recent as 50 years ago yet has no problem telling the story of neanderthals? Or is it how we, as a people, constantly fail to move on? Certainly it's not simply about Marcos. It's hard for me to acknowledge that after 30 years, the issue is still solely based on that man.

But whatever the case may be, let's just bury the man wherever. Screw the human rights victims of his regime who are recognized by the government with the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act. Screw the fact that the Supreme Court recognizes that Ferdinand Marcos gained ill-gotten wealth (link). Screw the fact that our government continue to fund an agency whose sole purpose is to recover Marcos' ill-gotten wealth. Screw the fact the the NHCP cast doubt when it comes to Marcos' military prominence. Screw it all. Fuck consistency. Fuck rationality.

I don't know why President Duterte is so insistent on risking political capital for something that is this divisive yet, as some supporters say, merely symbolic. It's hard to read his mind. In the end, all I can say is:

MARCOS PA RIN MGA ULUL!!